


Pulled by Strings

by SeaSaltCaramel



Series: Pearly Pinks [3]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Artificial Relationship, Emotionally Repressed, F/F, Hurt No Comfort, One-Sided Relationship, Pink can’t see that, Spinel is trying her best, idk how to tag this, misinterpretation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:40:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24700957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeaSaltCaramel/pseuds/SeaSaltCaramel
Summary: Spinel was a lot of fun! But Pink knew the real reason for this... “gift”
Relationships: Pink Diamond & Spinel (Steven Universe), Pink Diamond/Pink Diamond's Pearl (Steven Universe)
Series: Pearly Pinks [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1571815
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Pulled by Strings

**Author's Note:**

> Spinel doesn’t know any better, but Pink fails to realize that and hates her anyways
> 
> (Wrote this in an emotional haze after listening to “Drift Away” about seventeen times, bear with me)

It was fun for a while.

Hiding in the foliage, jumping out at each other, startling the other into laughter.

Juggling, tripping up, giggling at the other as the bubbles pop and they’re immediately covered in the previously encased bundles of flowers.

Pink had fun with Spinel, a lot of fun, but this wasn’t…

*** 

In the garden, Pink sat, still as could be. She knew Spinel would come to her, as Tag requires whoever’s “it”, to make chase.

Today, a day like any other, Pink just couldn’t bring herself to move.

It was awful, Pink was certain she _needed_ this. A distraction, a small stream that disconnected from the constant waves of pain and loneliness.

It never mattered to Spinel. If Pink found herself giving into her own worthlessness, if she managed to convince herself that she would always be less important, Spinel would brush it all away, because Spinel wanted to play.

After horrid, body-wracking encounters with her fellow diamonds, after realizing she’d been reduced to a mere title the moment the other diamonds held everything they didn’t earn in front of her empty hands, Spinel always wanted to play. _Only_ wanted to play.

Well, Pink Diamond didn’t want to play anymore.

Pink Diamond wanted to be recognized for her status.

_(Pink wanted reassurance from small, pink gloved hands)_

Pink Diamond wanted her own colony.

_(Pink didn’t want to live on homeworld, knowing where she was, knowing she could never be with her again)_

Pink Diamond wanted— _Pink_ wanted _.._

Pink wanted to see her again, cracks and all. Cracks she caused.

The guilt would overflow if they were ever to come face to face, but it wouldn’t matter, because she would be there in front of her, smiling with understanding eyes, shining with forgiveness Pink didn’t deserve.

There was a rustle, pushing Pink away from thoughts of her. She raised her head, only frowning as Spinel came cartwheeling out of the bushes, landing in front of Pink’s shaken form.

There was a quirk in her brow. “Oh, Pink! I didn’t know we were playing freeze tag! Do you..” she paused, examining Pink’s expression. She can see the tears, the grimace, and Pink thinks that maybe, maybe for _once_ Spinel will act like Pink’s problems are real, that not everything can be solved with laughter and games.

“Do you not want to play tag?”

“No, Spinel. I don’t”

Spinel’s smile widens, and she puts a hand on Pink’s shoulder. Due to her large shoulder pads, her fingers shift, finding their way to the crease between Pink’s neck and collarbone. 

(Her gasp is inaudible. It’s been so long since someone touched her— _well—_ touched her like _that_. Most gems kept their distance out of respect, and the other diamonds... Pink didn’t like to think about it.)

“Don’t cry, Pink.” Spinel moves her hand up her neck, slips it into her hair, fiddles with her large curls.

The gentleness nearly pushes more tears from her eyes, because it’s _so_ familiar, and maybe Spinel could—

“There are hundreds, no, thousands of other games we could play! We can even bend the rules a little or just make up our own! In our world, the possibilities are endless!”

Pink’s shoulders slump, and Spinel’s hand falls away, the moment passed, Pink’s feelings ignored.

Pink had foolishly forgotten.

This is all Spinel was.

A gift given to appease her, to make her forget about her membership in the so-called _“Great Diamond Authority”_ , to make Pink forget about _her_.

Pink could never forget, if anything, Spinel forced her to remember. She— her pearl had known Pink inside and out. She knew which smiles were forced, and worked to make them real. She knew when Pink needed silence, she even tried to _love_ Pink, to drop the chains of admiration and accept just how rough Pink truly was.

They’d made Spinel in Pink’s image, but it didn’t matter, she was just like them.

Spinel just wants to keep her here like they do, thinks she can just keep Pink happy forever so she won’t bother the others, so she won’t continue to ask for what she deserves.

Are they watching through Spinel’s eyes? Do they bother to acknowledge her tear stained cheeks or her trembling fists?

_She’s not smiling, Spinel, try and make her laugh. Still nothing? Try again. Try again. Try again._

“ _Enough_!” Pink shrieks into the vast expanse of the garden. The flowers are pushed back under the weight of her anger, and nearby pillars groan, petals from their vines falling gracefully to the floor.

Spinel tips to her heels, eyes blown wide as she immediately slams herself back upright. The size of her grin is immeasurable.

It makes Pink sick.

“Wow, Pink! That was so much fun! Is this a new game? Do it again! Let’s see how far I’ll go back!”

So she does, Pink screams and screams, over and over again, head hidden in her knees as flowers are torn up from the aching ground.

Pearl would have wanted her to be better.

And Spinel?

Spinel cheers.

**Author's Note:**

> I am in no way justifying Pink’s treatment of Spinel, just writing my own take on her feelings towards Spinel. Thank you for reading!!


End file.
